LOUGHBOROUGH Foxes lost their last home league game of the year on Sunday when they went down 2-0 to their rivals from Lancashire.

The fixture was the only one in the Northern Division due to waterlogged pitches throughout the rest of the country.

This was the return fixture from August when Foxes made their debut in the FAWPL Northern Division. Foxes lost narrowly that day 1-0 and were left to rue some missed chances.

Sunday’s return fixture was similar with the home team starting brightly and looking threatening through Pilling and Giampalma but failing to make their dominance count and it was Blackburn who took the lead as Foxes failed to clear a corner and Ainsley Strickland side footed the ball into the net past Smith.

Foxes came close to equalising as a Pilling cross was headed against the post by Steele who was making her first appearance since her injury at Blackburn in game one.

As the half progressed both sides played some good football, jousting for possession and control but it was Strickland’s goal that divided the teams when the referee’s whistle blew.

The second half started with Foxes in the ascendancy as both Pilling and White went close but couldn’t give the home team their deserved equaliser.

Lougborough continued to dominate the second half but could not find an equaliser and with 10 minutes left Blackburn’s striker Saffron Jordan broke clear and rounded Smith in the Foxes goal and side footed home the decisive second goal.

Despite Giampalma and Pilling causing the Blackburn back four further problems late on, the score remained 2-0 to the visitors.

Foxes now visit Leicester City Ladies next week in the quarter finals of the county cup before having a well earned Christmas break before returning to league action at Nottingham Forest on January 3, 2016.